A/N: If you want to donate or read up to 35 chapters ahead, you can visit my p-a-t-r-e-on/kurowashi

If you see grammar errors, please let me know so I can fix them and I’m always open to constructive criticism.

I would like it if you guys left some reviews.

Thank you for your good words and support.

------

CHAPTER 31

The number above Smoker's head scared Kreegan a little. Above Smoker's head stood a blood-red 5. He is a Logia devil fruit user. That must be the biggest reason. Kreegan remembered Smoker didn't know how to use Rokushiki and Haki yet. So, all that power came from his devil fruit and his own physical prowess.

Smoker's devil Fruit Moku Moku no mi is a really strong fruit power, but in Kreegan's opinion, Smoker doesn't use his deadliest attack; he is basically a carbon dioxide bomb, but he never uses his power to choke people. His smoke is not a destructive element, which is why almost all of his techniques are restraining moves. That is one of the reasons he is called White Hunter. The other reason he is called that, he is the second most ruthless pirate hunter in the East Blue after Kreegan.

Suppose he knew how to use Rokushiki, too. He would be so much more powerful, but Rokushiki is only taught to the Grand Line marines, and they need to be ones of higher rank than a captain. All Kreegan has to do is draw out a drop of blood. But it was doubtful he could cut a logia user at its current power level.

Before starting the fight, he had to decide which spells to use. It was impossible for him to be as mobile as Smoker. He could fly using his devil fruit, so he had to focus on damage spells. Moku Moku no mi's weak point was wind, but Kreegan currently didn't have any wind elemental magic.

After much thought, he decided to take three different spells. He would try the magic missile first. This spell fires two arcane projectiles at his enemies. For the second spell, he was thinking of getting burning hands or Flame Burst before, but he remembered Ace and Smoker's fight and remembered that neither of them could hurt the other with their elements. So, he decided to take the Shocking Grasp and Corrosive Touch spells.

Smoker rested his Jitte on his shoulder and waited for Kreegan, who stood with his eyes closed. He liked the guy a bit, but to him, he was nothing but a bounty hunter. A man that works for money, not justice. That is why he didn't want to help him, and he just wanted to show Tashigi the real face of Kreegan. He didn't believe this bounty hunter would sign up for the Marines even if he lost this bet. Smoker had such confidence in his logia body that he just stood there as Kreegan got ready to attack.

"Magic missile"

Two light blue energy balls suddenly flew out of Kreegan's hand and approached Smoker at high speed. Seeing this, Smoker was surprised. Since no pirates who fought with this man were captured alive, he had no information that Kreegan had devil fruit. The first one was aimed at his face, and the second at his gut.

He turned his body into smoke and then dissipated his head to be safe, but before he could dissipate his torso, too, the projectile came in contact with his body. He was waiting for it to pass through his body like any other projectile, but it did not. he got hit. It was not powerful, but it felt like a decent punch to the gut. It hurt a little, but it was nothing. He saw Kreegan was smiling.

If you stumble upon this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen from Royal Road. Please report it.

"You arrogant brat! Do you think you can draw blood with such a weak hit?"

"Of course not! I know too well right now I cannot win against the famous White Hunter, but this proved I could at least hit you, and if I can hit you, at least I should be able to scratch you too."

Kreegan wanted to try Corrosive Touch next. It was the first time he would use this spell with his sword. Since it was a touch spell, he could imbue his sword with this spell. Kreegan's spells didn't hurt him until they left his control, so he hoped the corrosive spell wouldn't damage his sword.

"Corrosive touch Shishi Sonson!"

Kreegan had moved so fast that Smoker was again taken by surprise. This man kept surprising him, but he knew he was faster than Kreegan

"White spark"

Smoker also charged toward Kreegan. He had turned his body into a mound of smoke 3 meters in diameter. Kreegan cut through the smoke, and he felt his sword hit something. Hope rose within him for a moment, but at the same time, Smoker's jitte hit him hard in the stomach. This blow sent Kreegan flying backward, and Kreegan got winded as he crashed into the wall behind.

Kreegan fell to his knees, blood dripping from the corner of his mouth. Smoker's body, which had turned into smoke, slowly took the form of a human, and there was a thin streak on the shoulder of his jacket. The moment he hit Kreegan, he, too, felt a weak blow on his shoulder. He tried to wipe the stain with his hand, but it didn't go away, as if something had melted his jacket.

"Brat, give up!"

"Will you stop calling me a brat? Do you enjoy being an old man? You are, at best, 4 or 6 years older than me."

Kreegan could see the vein forming on top of Smoker's temple. He turned into a smoke screen and enveloped Kreegan. Kreegan was having trouble breathing, so he tore a piece of fabric from his shirt and wrapped it around his face. He could barely breathe. If Smoker continued to surround him like this, he would suffocate before he had a chance to fight.

Kreegan spent 2 of his arcane pool and used Arcane Accuracy, Perfect Strike. Arcane Accuracy boosted his fighting instinct and made him more deadly, while Perfect Strike boosted his attack by 50%, but there was one drawback on those skills they only lasted for one strike, so he had to make it count. Kreegan started shouting.

"We all know Great White Hunter can beat a rookie bounty hunter, but I can't believe he is going to fight him like this!"

This must have ticked Smoker off because he appeared in the air behind Kreegan and was trying to push him to the ground from the back of his neck using his jitte.

"We played long enough. Go to sleep now!"

Hands still free, Kreegan held his two swords crossed, ignoring the pain, as Seastone jitte began to press the back of his neck, and he made his final move with all his might.

"Shocking Grasp Tatsumaki!"

Spiraling winds started to form around them, but Kreegan was pushed to the ground while Smoker mounted on top of him. Smoker was in a very confused state right now. Despite his Seastone jitte touching Kreegan's skin, Kreegan had not lost his strength and was able to send one last attack. In this attack, seeing that he used the lightning element, Smoker got more confused and still could not understand what this man's devil fruit power was.

Small wind blades moving along with lightning were trying to push Smoker into the air, and his smoke screen was cleared as strong winds were his weakness, but Kreegan's attack wasn't strong enough to push him into the air as it did to the no-name pirates.

The winds were not strong enough. The lightnings in this wind were stinging Smoker like bees. It was annoyingly painful. As Smoker pressed Kreegan to the ground with one hand, he puffed a cloud of smoke from his cigar and said while leaning close to Kreegan's face.

"You lost."

At this moment, a drop of blood dripped onto Kreegan’s cheek. There was a small 1 cm scratch on Smoker's forehead. Smoker brought his hand to his forehead and felt the wetness on his hand. It was one or two drops of blood, but it was blood nonetheless. The smallest chuckle ever possible escaped his mouth.

"Hmph! Looks like it is my loss."